Method for continuously automatically forming coils and binding each annular coil with a thermally fusable plastic tape

ABSTRACT

Coils each being bound with a plastic tape, especially those coils for use in motors of small capacities may be produced continuously automatically at a low cost by the use of an apparatus arranged to be operative so that first a conductive wire fed from a rotating flyer is wound around a bifurcated coil support unrotatably coupled to a power-driven shaft, and thereafter a portion of the resulting annular coil is bound with a thermally fusable plastic tape fed between a first tape-feed reel rotatably supported in the space formed by the parallel arms of the coil support and a rotatable second tape-feed reel positioned beyond the coil support but in alignment with the first reel as the tape is urged by the tip of a tape-guide member of one of a pair of vertical nipping arms of a binding means, and thereafter the resulting superposed portions of the tape are fused together and at the same time thermally cut into two independent continuous ribbons of tape by a heater provided at the said tip. All of the foregoing performances are controlled in sequential relation to each other by a control means comprising a pressure fluid circuitry and an electromagnetic circuitry for sequentially actuating the former circuitry which is operatively associated with the respective movable parts.

United States Patent 1 Ishida 1 1 Oct. 2, 1973 METHOD FOR CONTINUOUSLY AUTOMATICALLY FORMING COILS AND BINDING EACH ANNULAR COIL WITH A THERMALLY FUSABLE PLASTIC TAPE [75] Inventor: Iwa'o Ishida, Aichi-ken, Japan [73] Assignee: Ginga Electric Industrial Co., Ltd.,

Mic-Ken, Japan [22] Filed: July 19, I971 [21] Appl. No.: 163,748

[52] US. Cl 29/205 R, 29/605, 156/171,

156/443, 156/475, 242/7.08 [51] Int. Cl. H021: 15/00 [58] Field of Search 156/171, 443, 475; 29/605, 203, 205R, 205 D; 140/921, 92.2; 242/7.08

Primary Examiner-Charles W. Lanham Assistant Examiner-Carl E. Hall Attorney-Karl W. Flocks [57] ABSTRACT Coils each being bound with a plastic tape, especially those coils for use in motors of small capacities may be produced continuously automatically at a low cost by the use of an apparatus arranged to be operative so that first a conductive wire fed from a rotating flyer is wound around a bifurcated coil support unrotatably coupled to a power-driven shaft, and thereafter a portion of the resulting annular coil is bound with a thermally fusable plastic tape fed between a first tape-feed reel rotatably supported in the space formed by the parallel arms of the coil support and a rotatable second tape-feed reel positioned beyond the coil support but in alignment with the first reel as the tape is urged by the tip of a tape-guide member of one of a pair of vertical nipping arms of a binding means, and thereafter the resulting superposed portions of the tape are fused together and at the same time thermally cut into two independent continuous ribbons of tape by a heater pro vided at the said tip. All of the foregoing performances are controlled in sequential relation to each other by a control means comprising a pressure fluid circuitry and an electromagnetic circuitry for sequentially actuating the former circuitry which is operatively associated with the respective movable parts.

7 Claims, 15 Drawing Figures PATENTEDUBT 2 3.762.016

SHEEY 20? 8 FIG. 2

PATENTEDUBT 19H SHEET 3 BF 8 FIG. 4

FIG. 3

PATENTEDUET 2 35152.0 1 s SHEET u U? 8 SHEET 5 BF 8 PATENTEDUET 2191a PATENTEU '21815 3.762.016

SHEET 8 OF 8 FIG. 70 (/0) HG 7d l5 0 I4 l5 FIG. 7b

FIG. 7c

FIG. 7f 5 g/G) fiSQ 64 fiGl 64 W METHOD FOR CONTINUOUSLY AUTOMATICALLY FORMING COILS AND BINDING EACII ANNULAR COIL WITH A TIIERMALLY FUSABLE PLASTIC TAPE BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field Of The Invention The present invention is concerned with coils for motors, and more particularly, it relates to an improved method and apparatus for continuously forming coils and binding each annular coil with a thermally fusable plastic tape.

2. DESCRIPTION OF THE PRIOR ART Motors of small capacities have become used widely of late in various fields such as in household electric appliances including electric fans, electric clocks and battery-driven hair clippers, and industrial as well as agricultural machines and instruments. According to the conventional coil winding machines intended for producing the foregoing coils using a number of coil formers to perform winding in succession by utilizing a motive power, and the respective annular coils which have been thus wound were tied one after another with hemp strings or bound with pieces of adhesive tape. Tying or binding of coils was thus performed manually, apart from the winding process. Accordingly, the operation became greatly cumbersome and required a lot of labor, reducing the efficiency of production markedly. It was thus necessary to perform the production of each coil by two operators in many cases. Therefore, not only the efficiency of production dropped tremendously, but also the cost of production including personnel expenses tended to rise to a considerable extent, and furthermore the operators themselves were required to consume a .lot of their energy in the complicated operations.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION It is, therefore, a primaryobject of the present invention to eliminate the foregoing drawbacks and inconveniences of the prior art and to provide an improved method and apparatus for continuously automatically forming coils and binding each annular coil with a thermally fusable plastic tape.

Another object of the present invention is to provide an improved method and apparatus capable of attaining the aforesaid object by .electromagnetically actuating a pressure fluid circuitry comprising a plurality of operating cylinders utilizing a pressure fluid medium such as gas or oil, to perform both the winding of coils and binding each coil with a thermally fusable tape in a'predetermined time sequency continuously and automatically.

Still another object of the present invention is to provide an improved method and apparatus of the type described above, featuring that a .coil is wound around a bifurcated coil support having two parallel arms and unmovably coupled to the rotatable shaft .of a flyer which feeds a conductive wire and that a plastic tape is fed from a reel rotatably supported between the two arms of the said coil support, and itextends beyond the plane of the parallel arms of the coil support in alignment with the said reel to another reel and thatthe tape located at a position beyond the coil support is guided by a movable tape-guide and pressing member of .one of the two vertical nipping arms of a bindingmeans to apply the tape around a portion of the annular coil, all

of which operations being performed sequentially by pressure fluid-driven operating cylinders forming a binding, and also the subsequent cutting of the tape at the superposed portions in a single step with the fusing thereof by a heating means provided at the tip of the tape-guide member of one of the nipping arms in a sequential relation.-

A further object of the present invention is to provide an improved method and apparatus of the type described, which effect the binding of a coil in a unique simple manner by the use of the apparatus having a unique arrangement.

A still further-object of the present invention is to provide an improved method and an apparatus of the' type described, which can bring the operation to a complete halt quickly and smoothly at a desired angle of the wire feed flyer.

A yet furtherobject of the present invention is to provide an improved method and an apparatus of the type described, which can hold the coil support stationary by bilateral holding means sequentially by an electromagnetic circuitry associated with a pressure fluid circuitry.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION The drawings show .an example of the apparatus for putting the method of the present invention into practice.

FIG. 1 is a front elevational view, showing the essential parts of the said apparatus.

FIG. 2 is a plan view of same.

FIG. 3 is a front elevational view of the transmission clutch mechanism of same.

FIG. 4 is a view, partly in section, of the mechanism for actuating a band brake and a paw.

FIG. 5 is a side view, on an enlarged scale, of the mechanism for actuating the bilateral nipping members.

FIG. 6 is an explanatory illustration, on'an enlarged scale with parts broken away, of the flyer, the tapeguide and the tape feed mechanisms.

FIG. 7.a-f are diagrammatic explanatory representations, on ,an enlarged scale as viewed from the front side, showing the manner how an annular coil is bound with a tape and'how the resulting superposed portions of the .tape are fused together and cut thereat thermally into two continuous ribbons'of tape.

FIG. 8 is ,a somewhat diagrammatic explanatory illustration, .as viewed form the front side on an enlarged scale, showing the manner in which the tape with which a coil has been bound is fused at the superposed portions and thermally cut thereat into two independent continuous ribbons of tape.

FIG. 9 is a diagram of connections of an electromagnetic relay circuit used in the apparatus of the present invention.

FIG. 10 is a vdiagram of a pressure fluid circuitry for actuatingthe respective operating cylinder means.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT In the drawings, reference numeral 2 represents an open top casing provided in the left upper end portion of a frame 1 of the apparatus of the invention. A rotatable hollow shaft 3 passes horizontally through this casing 2 longitudinally of the apparatus and is rotatably supported by this casing 2. A clutch belt pulley 4 is secured to the outer side of the left end of the casing 2 coaxially with the said rotatable hollow shaft 3 as viewed in FIG. 1. On the outer side of the right end, as viewed in FIG. 1, of the casing 2 is provided a flyer 8 having a pair of flyer arms 9, one of which arms has a guide roller 10 at the free end thereof and also has another guide roller 12 rotatably secured to the free end of a supporting rod 1 l projecting from the free end portion of the said one of the arms 9 of the flyer 8. A guide roller 13 is rotatably supported and housed in the space formed by a cut-out 8" of the base wheel portion 8 of the flyer 8 and by an elongated slot 3 provided in that portion of the rotatable hollow shaft 3 located at the cut-out 8" of the base wheel portion 8'. A worm 16 is provided on the external circumference of that portion of the rotatable hollow shaft 3 located inside the casing 2. At an appropriate distance from this worm 16, there are secured onto the external circumference of the said shaft 3 a brake disk 17 having pawl 17 formed at one site of its periphery, and also a brake belt pulley 18. A worm gear 22 meshing with the worm 16 within the casing 2 is secured to a driven shaft 21 which passes horizontally across the casing 2 in perpendicular relation with the hollow shaft 3. A pin wheel 23 having a number of pins projecting from its external periphery is secured to the end portion of the driven shaft 21 at an outer side of the casing 2. Numeral 19 represents a pawl rod pivotably secured at one end to a supporting pin 20 which, in turn, is secured to the inner bottom wall of the casing 2. This pawl rod 19 has formed on the upper face thereof a pawl 19' which is engageable wtih the pawl 17' of the brake wheel 17. The bottom face of this pawl rod 19 is engageably supported by the upper end of the piston rod of an operating cylinder 39 provided within the frame 1 of the apparatus. The said pawl rod 19 is caused to be pushed upwardly so as to pivot at the supporting pin 20 by the piston rod of the pawl operating cylinder 39 as this piston rod moves upwardly. Arrangement is provided so that when the pawl 17' of the brake wheel 17 is brought into pressure contact with the pawl 19' of the pawl rod 19 as the latter is pivotally moved up to its extreme upward position by the piston rod, a limit switch LS shown in FIG. 4 which is provided on the upper face of the pawl region 19' of the pawl rod 19 is rendered on. A brake band 40 having one end secured to the frame 1 of the apparatus is applied to the brake belt pulley 18. The other end of this brake band 40 is coupled to 'the upper end of the piston rod of a brake operating cylinder 41 provided at the lower portion within the frame 1. It should be understood that, during the inoperative period of the apparatus, the said piston rod of the cylinder 41 is in its upwardly advanced position and the brake is in its state of being released. Numeral 5 represents a bearing box having an integral coil support 7 projecting toward the right side as viewed in FIG. 6. The right end portion of the rotatable hollow shaft 3 is rotatably supported via two sets of bearings 6 and 6 within this bearing box 5. The coil support 7 is of an opening formed therethrough in the direction perpendicular to the longitudinal axis thereof. A tape feed reel 14 around which is wound a synthetic resinous tape such as a vinyl tape, and a guide roller 15 are rotatably supported within the space of the said opening. This tape feed reel 14 is detachably provided therein. Numerals 24, 24', 25, 26 and 27 represent guide rollers which are provided at appropriate positions in the front side of the casing 2 and also in the front side of the lower portion of the frame 1. As will be understood from FIG. 1, a signaling endless ribbon of film 28 having a contact strip 29 of an appropriate length adhering thereto is applied to these guide rollers in such a way that this film 29 is brought into engagement with contactless proximity switches S and S during the course of its travel. The ribbon of signaling film 28 is provided with a number of perforations formed at uniform intervals therethrough so as to correspond to the pitch of the pins of the pin wheel 23. The said contact strip 29 of this ribbon of signaling film 28 is adapted to shift its position successively as the endless ribbon of film 28 carrying the contact strip 29 thereon travels in the direction of the arrow shown in FIG. 1 in accordance with the rotation of the pin wheel 23. Numeral 30 represents a motor having a clutch belt 31 of an appropriate length applied loosely between the belt pulley of this motor and the clutch belt pulley 4. Numeral 32 represents a cover. Numeral 33 represents a plate projecting from the left side face of the frame 1 and carries two guide rollers 34 and 35 which are provided at the left end and the right end of the projecting plate in spaced relationship as viewed in FIG. 1. Of these two guide rollers, the one 34 is provided close-to the left end of the rotatable hollow shaft 3. Numeral 36 represents a guide sleeve provided at the lower end face of the left end of the projecting plate 33 as viewed in FIG. 1. Numeral 37 represents a bobbin having a conductive wire 38 wound therearound, and this bobbin 37 is rotatably secured below the said guide sleeve 36. Numeral 42 represents a cylinder provided on the left side of the frame 1 for operating the aforesaid clutch. A roller 43 is mounted at the forward end of the piston rod of this cylinder 42. During the inoperative period of the rotatable hollow shaft 3, the piston rod of this cylinder 42 is in its retreated position as shown in FIG. 3 so that the retreat limit switch LS is accordintly rendered to the off state. Numerals 44 and 44 represent supporting rods having bilateral holding arms 46 and 46 which are secured at the upper portions thereof in such a way as to nip the forward end portion of the coil support 7 sideways therebetween as will be understood from FIG. 5. The lower ends of these supporting arm rods 44 and 44 are pivotably secured to the supporting pins 45 and 45 which are secured at an appropriate interval to the frame 1. A pair of linking members 47 and 47 is provided in such a way that one end of each of these linking members is pivotably secured to the upper end of the piston rod of the bilateral holding memberoperating cylinder 48 which is provided within the frame 1, whereas the other ends of these linking members 47 and 47 are pivotably coupled to the ends of the pivotally bendable supporting rods, respectively. When the piston rod of the cylinder 48 assumes its lowermost position as it is progressively received in the cylinder when the latter is actuated, the two bilateral holding arm members 46 and 46 sandwich the forward end portion of the coil support 7 therebetween. As a result, when the rotatable hollow shaft 3 makes revolutions, the coil support 7 is retained stationary irrespective of the rotation of the said shaft 3. At the same time therewith, the limit switch LS, for limiting the extent of nipping of these bilateral holding arm members 46 and 46 is rendered on. Numeral 49 represents a supporting plate made of Bakelite for guiding and supporting the bound annular coils which are delivered one after another. Numeral 51 represents an operating cylinder assigned to feed the tape, which is held horizontally by a supporting flange plate 50 secured at the right upper end of the frame 1 as viewed in FIG. 1. The forward end of the piston rod of this cylinder 51 is secured to a cylinder 52 for use in guiding the tape. This cylinder 52 is of a projecting wall plate extending beyond the right lower end of the barrel of this cylinder 52. A projecting rod 53 extends horizontally from the inner face of the said projecting wall plate and passes freely through a supporting plate 54 which, in turn, is secured at its base to the frame 1 to support the operating cylinder 52. The piston rods of both operating cylinders 51 and 52 are positioned to be in horizontal alignment with the central axis of the coil support 7. Numerals 55 and 55 represent vertical tape nipping rods having hook-like end portions which are bent towards each other to provide vertical nipping portions 59 and 59. These two tape nipping rods 55 and 55 have their bases pivotably secured to supporting pins 56 and 56 which, in turn, are secured to the upper and lower portions of the left outer end face of the operating cylinder 52, respectively. A globular heater 60 is provided in a cut-out formed in the central portion of the lower end face of the nipping portion 59 which is formed at the forward end of the upper nipping rod 55. Also, a guide roller 61 is pivotably mounted on the upper face, of the forward end of the upper nipping rod 55. Two linking rods 57 and 57 are provided so that their one ends are pivotably coupled at positions close to the base portions of the upper and the lower nipping rods 55 and 55, whereas the other ends are pivotably coupled together to the forward end of the piston rod of the operating cylinder 52. They are arranged so that, when the piston rod of the operating cylinder 52 assumes its maximum advanced'position, the said two linking rods 57 and 57 are brought into straight vertical alignment, whereas the upper and the lower nipping rods 55 and 55 assume their horizontal parallel positions. At such state of these two nipping rods 55 and 55, the inner faces of the upper and the lower nipping portions 59 and 59 are placed at positions an appropriate distance away from both the upper and the lower faces of the coil support 7, respectively. Let us now assume that the piston rod of the operating cylinder 52 makes a retreating movement. whereupon, the upper and the lower nipping rods 55 and 55 are accordingly caused by their coupled linking members 57 and 57 to make a progressive pivotal movement about their supporting pins 56 and 56 in such a way that their forward end portions approach toward each other. When the piston rod of the cylinder 52 reaches the rear dead point or the limit of its backward movement, the nipping rods 55 and 55 will assume such positions as indicated by the chain lines b and c in FIG. 6 with the result that the forward end faces of the nipping portions 59 and 59 are rendered to the state in which they are brought into contact with the upper and the lower faces of the coil support 7. Ar-

rangement is provided that, at this state of the nipping portions, a projection 58 extending from the lower face of the piston rod of the cylinder 52 pushes a limit switch LS which is intended to actuate the action of nipping the tape, to thereby render this switch on. On the other hand, when the operating cylinder 52 is caused to assume its maximum advanced position by being driven from the operating cylinder 51 which is coupled thereto, the limit switch SL for limiting the extent of advancement of the tape is rendered on. Likewise, when the said piston rod assumes its maximum retreated position, the limit switch LS for limiting the rearward movement of the tape is rendered off. Numeral 62 represents a supporting plate secured to the upper face of the operating cylinder 52. A rod 63 having a tape feed roller 64 rotatably mounted at its foremost end is pivotably secured at its base to the said supporting plate 62. A coil spring 65 is applied between a projection provided at the upper face of the forward end portion of the rod 63 and the said supporting plate 62 to hold the rod 63 in a position in which this rod 63 is slightly upwardly inclined as it goes from its base toward the foremost end at a position slightly above the upper nipping rod 55. A thermally fusable plastic tape 66 such as a vinyl tape extends from the tape feed reel 14 and is wound around the tape feed reel 64 via guide rollers 15 and 61. Numeral 67 represents a direction control valve for the cylinder 41 assigned for controlling the brake. Numeral 68 represents a direction control valve for the cylinder 42 assigned for controlling the clutch. Numeral 69 represents a direction control valve for the cylinder 39 assigned to control the pawl. Numeral 70 represents a direction control valve for the cylinder 52 assigned to control the nipping of the tape. Numeral 71 represents a direction control valve for the cylinder 51 assigned for controlling the tape feed. Numeral 72 represents a direction control valve for the cylinder 48 assigned for controlling the bilateral holding of the coil support 7. These direction control valves 67, 68, 69, 70, 71 and 72 are invariably offset type two position direction control valves utilizing the spring-like repelling force of solenoid means. These direction control valves 67-72 are actuated as required by the spring-like repelling force caused by energization and tie-energization of their corresponding brake solenoid M clutch solenoid M pawl solenoid M tape nipper solenoid M tape advancement solenoid M and bilateral holder solenoid M,,, respectively. As seen in the direction control circuit arrangement shown in FIG. 10, the pressure ports P of the respective direction control valves communicate with a compressed gas tank T, and the gas discharge ports E of these valves communicate with the suction side of a compressor 74 which is driven from a motor 75. Also, the ports A and B of the respective direction control valves are connected to the ports provided at the opposite ends, respectively, of the individual operating cylinders. A pressure fluid circuitry as shown in P10. 10 is formed in the aforesaid manner. This circuitry of the instant embodiment uses compressed air as the actuator pressure fluid. lt is needless to say that the said circuitry may be replaced by a pressurised oil circuitry utilizing a pressurized oil as the circulating pressure medium. Also, the electromagnetic circuitry is formed by connecting the respective solenoids M -M to a power source via manual switches HS HS, and H8 contactless proximity switches S and S,, relays R,-R,,, relay switches RS,-RS,,, limit switches LS,-LS,, timer relays Tr, and Tr,, timer switches TS, and TS, and a transformer 73 connected to the heater 60, respectively. It should be understood that the manual switch HS, represents a switch for effecting a sudden halt of operation, and that another manual switch HS, represents a switch for bringing the operation to a stop.

Description will next be directed to the manner in which the aforesaid embodiment of the apparatus having the foregoing arrangement is operated.

First of all, description will be made on the manner in which the brake, clutch, pawl, vertical tape nippers, tape feed means and bilateral holders 46 and 46 are operated by the pressure fluid control circuitry shown in FIG. 10. When the solenoid M, is off, it is in its deenergized state. Therefore, the piston rod of the brakeoperating cylinder 41 is in its advanced position so that the brake band 40 is released. However, as this solenoid M, is rendered on, it is energized so that the spur of the direction control valve 67 is shifted toward the left side in its position in FIG. 10, thereby actuating the brake. When the solenoid M, is rendered off," it is in the de-energized state, and therefore, the piston rod of the clutch operating cylinder 42 is in its retreated position so that the clutch is released. However, as the soleniod M, is rendered on and energized, the spur of the direction control valve 68 moves toward the left side in FIG. 10 and thus the clutch is actuated. Likewise, when the pawl operating solenoid M is off," the pawl is not engaged. However, when this solenoid M, is rendered on, the pawl is brought into engagement. The tape nipper operating solenoid M, which is in the off state means that the tape nipping members are parted from each other, whereas they will effect nipping when the solenoid is rendered on. When the tape feed solenoid M is off, the tape will retreat but when this solenoid is rendered on the tape will advance or will be fed. Also, when the solenoid M, for the cylinder assigned for actuating the bilateral holding members is off, these bilateral holding members are in their closed state, whereas they will open when this solenoid is rendered on. All of these actions will be understood by referring to FIG. 10.

Description will next be made on the actions of the circuitry shown in FIG. 9 with the foregoing statement in mind. When the apparatus is at its inoperative state initially, the contact strip 29 of the ribbon of the signaling film 28 is retained in the state of engaging the proximity switches S, and 8,, so that as will be clear from the connection diagram of FIG. 9, these proximity switches S, and S, are in the on" state. As a result, the relay R, is in its "on state, whereas the limit switch LS for the clutch is off." Also, the pawl-actuating solenoid M, is on, whereas the brake-actuating solenoid M, and clutch-actuating solenoid M, are both off. In the foregoing state of the circuitry, the apparatus is at rest. It is also clear that the limit switch LS, for limiting the upward movement of the pawl is in its on state and that the piston rod of the tape feed operating cylinder 51 is at the extreme rearward position, i.e., at the dead point and further that the limit switch LS, for limiting the retreating movement of the tape is in its off state.

Let us now assume that the manual switch HS, is turned on." Whereupon, the solenoid M, is rendered "on" via the limit switch LS, and the relay switch R8,,

causing the bilateral holding arms 46 and 46 to open, whereas the limit switch LS, is rendered off. At the same time with the said turning of the manual switch on, the solenoid M is rendered on via the limit switch LS, and the relay switch RS causing the tape to advance in the direction of the arrow 0 in FIG. 7 to assume the state of b in the same drawing. In this state, it should be understood that a coil has been wound completely around the coil support 7 on the tape 66. In the state of b in FIG. 7, the right side and the upper side of the portion of the annular coil are covered by the tape 66. This is when the limit switch LS, is rendered on. Thereafter, when the tape 66 reaches its maximum advanced position, the limit swithc L8, is rendered on, causing the relay R, and accordingly the relay switch RS, are rendered on, causing the solenoid M, to be rendered on. As a result, the tape nipping portion 59 is lowered in its position and thus the portion of the annular coil is wound with the tape 66. The portion of the tape located above the portion of tape extending from the reel 14 is pressed against the latter portion of tape as indicated by c in FIG. 7. In this state, the limit switch L8,, is rendered on. Whereupon, the relay R is energized to render the solenoid M off, causing the tape to move backwardly. Along with this, the nipping portion 59 retreats to assume the state as shown by d in FIG. 7. The limit switch LS is then rendered off again. However, before this limit switch L8, is rendered off again as stated above, or in other words, when the relay R, is energized, the relay switch RS, which is parallel with the said limit switch LS, is already in the state of on. Accordingly, the tape 66 remains to be pressed upon while the relay R, is in the state of on. It should be understood that, during this part of operation, that portion of the tape located between the coil and the tape feed reel 14 is given an appropriate amount of tension by imparting an appropriate degree of tightness, i.e., a load, to the rotation of the tape feed reel 14 through the intervention of a spring on the shaft on which the tape feed reel 14 is rotatably mounted, or by any other appropriate means. Therefore, as the nipping portion 59 which has pressed upon the tape makes a retreating movement, the ribbon of tape applied around the portion of the annular coil will tend to tighten that portion of the coil. If this tension due to the tightening is greater than the said tension of the tape 66 on the reel side, the tape will become drawn from the tape feed reel 14 as the coil retreats in accordance with the backward movement of the tape nipping portion 59. More specifically, at the superposed portions of the tape which is being pressed upon by the nipping portion 59, the one lying on the upper side and also the coil will jointly slide on that portion of the tape lying on the lower side until the tension of tightening of the tape with which the coil is wound overcomes the tension on the tape feed reel 14 side. Thereafter, the superposed portions of the tape will retreat together with the coil. When the tape reaches its maximum rearward position as shown by d in FIG. 7, the limit switch LS, is rendered off and accordingly the solenoid M, is rendered off," so that the bilateral holding arm 46 and 46 will close again. The limit switch LS will then be rendered on" again. Whereupon, the relay R, is rendered on via the relay switch R8,, causing a current to be supplied to the heater 60 via the transformer 73. Along with this, the timer relay Tr, is energized via another relay switch RS,

to actuate the timer switch TS, to cut off the current being supplied to the heater 60 at the end of about one second. However, at the same time as the timer relay Tr, is rendered on, the relay R, is energized which, I

in turn, causes the time switch TS, to energize the relay R, so that the relay switch RS, for the nipping of the tape is rendered on" which means that the solenoid M, for nipping the tape is rendered conductive, and thus the tape remains to be pressed upon as shown by d in FIG. 7. On the other hand, at the same time with the aforesaid state of the tape, the clutch actuating solenoid M, is rendered on by the action of the relay R,, whereas the brake actuating solenoid M, and the pawl actuating solenoid M, are both rendered of causing the operation to be started. Accordingly, as the flyer 8 starts its revolution, the conductive wire 38 is wound progressively around the coil support 7 which is now located in the foreground of the completed coil which has been carried to a backward position in the state of being pressed upon by the nipping portion 59, the said wire 38 being wound above the tape 66. It is needless to say that during this part of operation the limit switch LS, is rendered on," whereas the limit switch LS, is rendered off. Since the driven shaft 21 is rotated in accordance with the rotation of the hollow shaft 3, the signaling ribbon of film 28 is shifted in its position progressively. As a natural course, the signaling ribbon of film 28 travels in the direction of arrow. As a result, the contact strip 28 moves out from the proximity switches S, and 8,. Along with this, the proximity switches S, and S, are rendered of and the relay R, is also rendered off. Since the timer switch TS, is arranged to be cut off thereafter, the relay R, is rendered off at the end of a predetermined length of time. Since the relay R, has been rendered off by that time, the brake-actuating solenoid M, is deenergized, whereas the clutch-actuating solenoid M, is rendered on. Also, needless to say, the pawlactuating solenoid M, causes the pawl to be disengaged as the proximity switch S, is cut off. Accordingly, the rotatable hollow shaft 3 continues its rotation. As a result, the conductive wire 38 is wound around the coil support 7 continuously'by the rotating flyer 8. As the timer switch TS, is rendered off at the end of a predetermined length of time which may be several seconds, the relay R, is rendered off. whereupon, the relay switch RS, is rendered off as a matter of course, and this is followed by the de-energization of the tape-pressing solenoid M causing the tape nipping portion 59 to be released from its pressing condition. As a result, the nipping portion 59 makes an upward movement to assume the position shown by e in FIG. 7. Along with this, the limit switch LS, is rendered off." It should be understood that when the tape nipping portion 59 parts away from the tape, the flyer 8 still continues its rotation to effect the winding of the wire 38 for the predetermined length of time which may be several seconds. Therefore, even when the nipping portion 59 moves upwardly as shown in e of FIG. 7, releasing the pressure upon the tape, there is already produced a part of the next coil around the coil support 7 on the tape 66. In other words, even when the nipping portion 59 moves away from the tape 66 which it has been pressing on, that portion of the tape 66 located above the coil support 7 will never be lifted upwardly when the guide roller 61 moves upwardly. Thus, there arises no lack of smoothness in the subsequent winding of the wire 38.

As stated above, the proximity switches S, and S, are rendered off, followed by the returning of the state of the relay R, to its initial state, and this is followed immediately by the return tothe initial state of the relay R,. After this, the rotation of the flyer 8 caused by the rotation of the rotatable hollow shaft 3 after the returning of the relay R, to its initial state, or in other words, after the contact strip 29 has emerged from the proximity switches S, and S,, causes the wire to be wound progressively around a partly produced coil shown in e of FIG. 7. Along with this, the signaling ribbon of film 28 moves progressively in the direction of the arrow shown in FIG. 1. However, as the contact strip 29 of the signaling ribbon of film 28 engages first with the proximity switch S,, this latter switch S, is rendered on again. whereupon, the relay R, is actuated, causing the brake-actuating solenoid M, to be energized, whereas the clutch-actuating solenoid M, is rendered off. As a result, the rotatable hollow shaft 3 is subjected to the force of brake. However, the rotation of this shaft 3 is not arrested completely instantaneously, but instead, brake action works upon the shaft 3 progressively. More specifically, owing to the deenergization of the clutch-actuating solenoid M,, the piston rod of the clutch-operating cylinder 42 makes a gradual retreating movement. As this piston rod reaches its extreme backward position, the limit switch LS, is rendered of again, with the result that the brake-actuating solenoid M, is rendered off and the brake band 40 is released. Subsequently, as the contact strip 29 engages the proximity switch S, and also the other proximity switch S,, the latter switch S, is rendered on, causing the pawl-actuating solenoid M, to be rendered on. As a result, the pawl rod 19 moves upwardly. The pawl 17' of the brake disk 17 which is secured to the rotatable hollow shaft 3 will continue to rotate by inertia up to the position in which this pawl 17' engages the pawl 19' of the pawl rod 19, at which position these pawls l7 and 19' are rendered stationary completely. Along therewith, the flyer 8 is held at the proper angle. At the same time therewith, the limit switch LS, is rendered on again. However, in view of the fact that the manual switch HS, is still in its on state, the bilateral holder-actuating solenoid M, and the tape feed solenoid M, are both rendered on, so that the bilateral holding arms 46 and 46 are caused to open. As a result, the tape is caused to advance in the direction of the arrow shown in a of FIG. 7, followed 1 by being rendered to the state shown at b in FIG. 7. In this way, the steps a-f shown in FIG. 7 which have been described above are repeated to continuously automatically perform a series of operation, i.e., winding, binding the coil with a tape, fusing and cutting the tape in sequential relationship.

It should be understood that in d of FIG. 7, the coil is bound with a tape completely and the tape is fused and cut, and then the operation enters into the state as shown in e of FIG. 7. This partof the process will be stated hereunder in further detail. After the coil which has been wound with a tape by the action of the vertical tape nipping portion 59 in the manner as shown in c has reached its maximum backward position as shown in d of FIG. 7 owing to the retreating movement of the tape urged by the nipping portion 59, the heater 60 is supplied with a current only for the predetermined length of time set by the timer switch TS whereupon, the superposed portions of the tape 66 which are pressed upon by the lower face of the nipping portion 59 are then subjected to the pressure of the heater 60. These superposed portions of the tape are then heated, fused and cut by the heat from the heater 60 in the manner as shown on an enlarged scale in FIG. 8. As a result, the portions of the tape located on both sides of the heater 60, i.e., the portions with hatching, are fused, respectively. As a result of the fusing on the right side of the heater 60 as viewed in FIG. 8, the coil is now bound completely with a ribbon of tape. Also, as the result of the fusing on the left side of the heater 60, the portion of the tape 66 extending from the tape feed reel 14 and further to the upper face of the coil support 7 via a guide roller 15, or in other words, the portion of the tape located on the lower side of the superposed ribbons of tape, is fused integrally with that portion of tape 66 depending downwardly from the other tape feed reel 64 via a guide roller 61. Since the tape is cut at the central portion of the superposed ribbons of tape, the state shown in e of FIG. 7 is attained as the tape pressing member 59 moves upwardly. It should be understood also that the number of winding of the wire may be controlled as desired by adjusting the length of the signaling ribbon of film 28.

According to a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the apparatus is of a pressure fluid direction control circuitry having six direction control valves for actuating six operating cylinders respectively, and an electromagnetic circuitry formed by connecting, via various switches and relays, the respective solenoids for the brake, clutch, flyer halt angle regulating pawl, tape feed and bilateral holding arms for fixing a coil, and the heater together, and further the apparatus is of a tape which is applied via guide rollers between two tape feed reels one of which is rotatably supported between the arms of the coil support and the other is mounted at the foremost end of a pivotable rod provided on the tape feed operating cylinder. These members and parts are arranged so as to be associated with each other. By the use of this apparatus, winding of a conductive wire around the coil support is performed above the tape. Also, the respective steps, i.e., tape feed, tape pressing and fusing-cutting of the superposed portions of tape being pressed, are repeated. It is only necessary to operate the starting switch manually to accomplish the foregoing continuous automatic operation. Upon the turning on of this switch, the wire-winding, binding of coil with tape, discharge of bound coil can be performed fully automatically. Five to six apparatuses may be operated by a single operator without requiring any complicated procedures, and thus, the present invention is remarkable advantages such as marked enhancement of production efficiency, saving of labor and cost, which have never been attained by the use of the winding machines of the prior art. Also, according to the present invention, the winding of coil is performed above the tape intended for binding the coil, and the coil is bound with the tape positively by the action of the tape feed and pressing of the tape and the coil is bound tightly, followed by fusing the tape. Therefore, the coil which has been bound with the tape is never become collapsed. In addition, the coil support is firmly fixed by the bilateral holding members during the process of winding, whereas these holding members are released when the coil is bound with the tape. Thus, the

whole operation is performed reasonably in good sequence of time. Furthermore, the respective steps can be performed properly and precisely by the signal generated from the signaling ribbon of folm, and also the binding action may be brought to a complete halt by the engagement of the pawl of a pawl rod with the pawl of the brake disk. Thus, it is possible to obtain a uniform required number of windings always.

I claim:

1. An apparatus for continuously automatically forming coils and binding each annular coil with a thermally fusable plastic tape, comprising, in combination:

wire-winding means having a power-driven rotatable hollow shaft, a flyer means rotatably coupled to the said shaft for feeding a conductive wire from a reel, and a coil support on a base, with said coil support coupled unmovably to the said shaft and having bifurcated parallel arms extending along the axis of the said shaft for winding the wire therearound as the flyer rotates,

tape feed means comprising a first tape feed reel rotatably supported via a guide roller between the said bifurcated parallel arms in parallel relation therewith and a second tape feed reel rotatably supported at a position beyond the said coil support via a guide roller in alignment with the said first reel, the tape being secured at one end to the said first reel and at the other end to the said second reel passing through the space between the bifurcated arms of the coil support, with the wire fed from the flyer extending between the said tape and the base of the coil support and wound on said coil support over said tape extending between said reels,

means for binding and superimposing portions of a thermally fusable plastic tape around a portion of the annular coil wound around the coil support upon completion of the said winding, the said binding means comprising nipping means having a pair of vertically openable arms and being adapted to retreatably advance to that end portion of the said coil support located away from its base, the tip of one of the said nipping arrns serving as a tape guiding and pressing member,

means provided on the said binding means for fusing the tape at its superposed portions produced as the tape is bound around a portion of the annular coil, and for thermally cutting the tape at the fused portions into two independent continuous ribbons of tape with one of said ribbons extending around the coil binding it and the other of said ribbons extending between said two feed reels, and

control means associated with all of the aforesaid respective means and comprising a pressure fluid circuitry and an electromagnetic circuitry for sequentially actuating the said pressure fluid circuitry.

2. An apparatus according to claim 1, in which the said binding means further comprises a pair of openable bilateral arms for holding the bifurcated arms of the coil support to bilaterally secure the latter stationary.

3. An apparatus according to claim 1, in which the said pressure fluid circuitry comprises, in combination:

pressure fluid-driven cylinder means having direction control valves coupled to solenoid means operatively for actuating clutch means, brake means and a flyer halt angle regulating pawl means to control the movement of the flyer means, and

serially coupled, pressure fluid-driven cylinder means for effecting controlledmovement of the tape binding means, these and the aforesaid cylinder means being operatively connected as a pressure fluid circuitry,

the said serially coupled cylinder means being in alignment with the rotatable shaft of the flyer means,

the said electromagnetic circuitry comprising switches, relays and timer switches and arranged to generate signals to sequentially energize and deenergize the said respective solenoid means.

4. An apparatus according to claim 3, in which the said signal generating means comprises a ribbon of film carrying an endless ribbon of film carrying a contact strip, and contactless proximity switches provided along the path of travel of the said ribbon of'film for engagement with the said contact strip during the course of travel of the said ribbon of film, the movement of this film being controlled by the two circuitries.

5. An apparatus according to claim 3, in which the said flyer halt angle regulating pawl means comprises a pawl of the brake means and a pawl of a pawl rod means both of which are operated by the said pressure fluid circuitry and the said electromagnetic circuitry from a signal generated by the signaling means.

6. An apparatus according to claim 1, in which the said tape fusing and cutting means is a heater provided on the nipping face of one of the vertically openable nipping arms.

7. An apparatus according to claim 1, in which the said pressure fluid circuitry and the said electromagnetic circuitry associated therewith are arranged to be sequentially operative so that the winding of the wire completes at a desired angle of the flyer means before starting the binding of the resulting annular coil, and that this binding is performed by the movement of the tape-guiding and pressing member which first moves in the forward direction to cross over an outer portion of the coil and then in a direction perpendicular thereto along the adjacent side portion of the annular coil until the tape joins that portion of tape lying under the adjacent inner side of the annular coil and then in the backward direction carrying both the tape and the bound coil together, and that the said fusing and cutting of the tape are performed after the foregoing binding operation is completed by a heating means provided at the lower face of the nipping arm serving as the tape guiding and pressing member. 

1. An apparatus for continuously automatically forming coils and binding each annular coil with a thermally fusable plastic tape, comprising, in combination: wire-winding means having a power-driven rotatable hollow shaft, a flyer means rotatably coupled to the said shaft for feeding a conductive wire from a reel, and a coil support on a base, with said coil support coupled unmovably to the said shaft and having bifurcated parallel arms extending along the axis of the said shaft for winding the wire therearound as the flyer rotates, tape feed means comprising a first tape feed reel rotatably supported via a guide roller between the said bifurcated parallel arms in parallel relation therewith and a second tape feed reel rotatably supported at a position beyond the said coil support via a guide roller in alignment with the said first reel, the tape being secured at one end to the said first reel and at the other end to the said second reel passing through the space between the bifurcated arms of the coil support, with the wire fed from the flyer extending between the said tape and the base of the coil support and wound on said coil support over said tape extending between said reels, means for binding and superimposing portions of a thermally fusable plastic tape around a portion of the annular coil wound around the coil support upon completion of the said winding, the said binding means comprising nipping means having a pair of vertically openable arms and being adapted to retreatably advance to that end portion of the said coil support located away from its base, the tip of one of the said nipping arms serving as a tape guiding and pressing member, means provided on the said binding means for fusing the tape at its superposed portions produced as the tape is bound around a portion of the annular coil, and for thermally cutting the tape at the fused portions into two independent continuous ribbons of tape with one of said ribbons extending around the coil binding it and the other of said ribbons extending between said two feed reels, and control means associated with all of the aforesaid respective means and comprising a pressure fluid circuitry and an electromagnetic circuitry for sequentially actuating the said pressure fluid circuitry.
 2. An apparatus according to claim 1, in which the said binding means further comprises a pair of openable bilateral arms for holding the bifurcated arms of the coil support to bilaterally secure the latter stationary.
 3. An apparatus according to claim 1, in which the said pressure fluid circuitry comprises, in combination: pressure fluid-driven cylinder means having direction control valves coupled to solenoid means operatively for actuating clutch means, brake means and a flyer halt angle regulating pawl means to control the movement of the flyer means, and serially coupled, pressure fluid-driven cylinder means for effecting controlled movement of the tape binding means, these and the aforesaid cylinder means being operatively connected as a pressure fluid circuitry, the said serially coupled cylinder means being in alignment with the rotatable shaft of the flyer means, the said electromagnetic circuitry comprising switches, relays and timer switches and arranged to generate signals to sequentially energize and de-energize the said respective solenoid means.
 4. An apparatus according to claim 3, in which the said signal generating means comprises a ribbon of film carrying an endless ribbon of film carrying a contact strip, and contactless proximity switches provided along the path of travel of the said ribbon of film for engagement with the said contact strip during the course of travel of the said ribbon of film, the movement of this film being controlled by the two circuitries.
 5. An apparatus according to claim 3, in which the said flyer halt angle regulating pawl means comprises a pawl of the brake means and a pawl of a pawl rod means both of which are operated by the said pressure fluid circuitry and the said electromagnetic circuitry from a signal generated by the signaling means.
 6. An apparatus according to claim 1, in which the said tape fusing and cutting means is a heater provided on the nipping face of one of the vertically openable nipping arms.
 7. An apparatus according to claim 1, in which the said pressure fluid circuitry and the said electromagnetic circuitry associated therewith are arranged to be sequentially operative so that the winding of the wire completes at a desired angle of the flyer means before starting the binding of the resulting annular coil, and that this binding is performed by the movement of the tape-guiding and pressing member which first moves in the forward direction to cross over an outer portion of the coil and then in a direction perpendicular thereto along the adjacent side portion of the annular coil until the tape joins that portion of tape lying under the adjacent inner side of the annular coil and then in the backward direction carrying both the tape and the bound coil togEther, and that the said fusing and cutting of the tape are performed - after the foregoing binding operation is completed - by a heating means provided at the lower face of the nipping arm serving as the tape guiding and pressing member. 